Sharky's Machine (1981)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Burt Reynolds

Writers:

William Diehl (novel)
Gerald Di Pego (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 December 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Nobody leans on Sharky's Machine. [Theatrical]

Plot:

Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop in Atlanta who's demoted to vice after a botched bust. In the depths of this lowly division...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitution | Vice | Murder | Gangster | Surveillance

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Sgt. Tom Sharky
Vittorio Gassman	...	Victor
Brian Keith	...	Papa
Charles Durning	...	Friscoe
Earl Holliman	...	Hotchkins
Bernie Casey	...	Arch
Henry Silva	...	Billy Score
Richard Libertini	...	Nosh
Darryl Hickman	...	Smiley
Rachel Ward	...	Dominoe
Joseph Mascolo	...	Joe Tipps
Carol Locatell	...	Mabel
Hari Rhodes	...	Highball Mary
John Fiedler	...	Barrett
James O'Connell	...	Twigs

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1982) | Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | New Zealand:R16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:R | Norway:16 (1982) | Norway:18 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Deliverance Productions

Trivia:

Forrest Sawyer (later of CBS, ABC, currently NBC Nightly News) briefly appears as a news announcer near the end of the film. (All of the newscasters in the film are local Atlanta newscasters.)

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the end scene when Sharky is approaching the window.

Quotes:

Dominoe: This is all you know, isn't it? Pushing, hitting, and punching! Does it make you feel good or something?
Sharky: Sometimes, yes!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jackie Brown (1997)

Soundtrack:

Route 66

Tight story, great period soundtrack and entertaining morality play. Character actor extravaganza!

The jazz soundtrack makes this seem like a Clint Eastwood movie.

In fact the whole thing strikes me as Burt doing Clint. The story is good and the movie is full of one liners that I carry with me to this day. (Reynolds to bad guy: I'm gonna pull the chain on you pal, because you're f'n up my town. And you wanna know the worst part? You're from outta state!)

Highlights: The Technics 1500B reel to reel is nice set dressing for audiophiles!

Charles Durning coming unglued while listening to wiretap tapes of prostitutes having (sort of) phone sex. (You'd have to see it, trust me, it's hilarious.)

Brian Keith plays against type as a tough guy. (And does it well!)

Bernie Casie's preoccupation with Zen.

Rachel Ward. WOW! (Where'd she go?)

Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show band play their rears off as usual. (Joe William's guests on vocals. Manhattan Transfer re-recorded "Route 66".) The soundtrack lends class to the whole affair.

Need I say more? It might be Reynold's best film ever.

(Yeah, he plays himself, as usual, but it works!)

Enjoy!